Warren Cemetery

Hampton, NY (An Honorary Vermont Town)

September 23, 2017

Warren Cemetery Restoration - Hampton, NY

The Town would like to thank everyone who showed up to help!
Today we had about 20 people turn out for the work project at the Warren Cemetery! A number of the people buried in the cemetery are Ethan Allen Boys and several of the residents of the cemetery were buried when this area was a part of Vermont in the 1700s.

We broke the attendees up into several groups and we were amazed how fast the work went! We started at 8:30 and by 12:15 we had straightened at least 60 stones and had epoxied about 20 broken ones. Surprising there were only a few stones which were beyond saving with our methods, but the task master gave us some suggestions on how to tackle those in the future! If you go by the Warren Cemetery you can see the results of our efforts! The ones we glued together have lumber holding them up until they cure, but it really looks great!! Most importantly, we know how we can tackle the other cemeteries with the knowledge and experience we gained today. Warren was in the worst shape of all the cemeteries and the others should be easy if we get enough help.

If we had a professional come to fix the stones it would cost around $300 per stone for those broken stones. Those who helped today should take pride in their accomplishments!

Again, thanks to Tom Giffin, from Vermont Old Cemetery Association for his knowledge and experience. You can visit the website at VOCA58.org to see the work they do! And while you are there, consider joining to thank them for the help Tom gave Hampton.

In early summer, a Regent from a Chapter of the DAR from Virgina notified me (Regent, Ann Story Chapter DAR) that they were planning a grave dedication at Warren Cemetery in Hampton, NY. She extended the invitation to our chapter to represent Vermont for David Bishop Warren.

David Bishop Warren was born c.1764 in Sunderland VT, the son of Gideon Warren who was Capt of the Green Mountain Boys, one of those in the taking of Fort Ticonderoga in May 1775, and Superintendent of the building of Fort Warren in Castleton VT in 1780. He became Colonel of the 15th VT. David Bishop Warren, just a teen when the Rev War broke out, was in Capt. Tahan Noble's Company of Militia in VT for 59 days in Spring 1779. He was in Ebenezer Allen's Detachment of VT Militia from August to November 1779, and in Capt. Parmalee Allen's Company of Rangers under Ebenezer Allen from February through December 1780. During 1771, the residence of Colonel Gideon and his family was given as Pittsford, VT.

On July 22nd, I attended representing the DAR (Daughter of the American Revolution), and Tom accompanied me representing the Order of the First Families of Vermont and SAR (Sons of the American Revolution).

My chapter members who were present, knowing Tom's passion, jested that Tom would be in this cemetery, too, if it were in Vermont. We all had a good laugh at the joke.

While we were there, he started a conversation with a gentleman. It turned out that it was Tom's childhood's next door neighbor's cousin (don't ask....this is Vermont...everybody knows, or is related, to everyone!) who now lives in Hampton.....AND is the cemetery commissioner.

Well, it turns out that Tom can never turn down a challenge...no matter where the border lies.